Thursday, January 12, 2012

Improv Blocks -- I Love You : :

I finished up two more scrappy patchwork blocks yesterday by early afternoon. I thought I was done sewing for the day and had planned to share them today. I made some tea, and then I had an idea that I had to try right away! With my tea in hand, I headed back up to my room, I did a little sketch, and then I started piecing.

I know that my other scrappy patchwork blocks are considered improvisational quilting, but this felt SO much different. It was the most fun I have ever had sewing! I couldn't believe it was coming together just how I had hoped. And, it looked good? And YES!, I was doing it all on purpose! LOL

If I wasn't working from just my scraps, it would have been much easier, that's for sure. Finding enough white-ish colored scraps for piecing around my girl was a challenge. I used every last one! Good news, I still have a few more Bottled Rainbow Quilt Blocks to make, so I should have a few more soon.

My new (new) plan is to have this block be the bottom left corner of my Scraps Quilt. So, the quilt corner she's holding becomes the quilt itself?

Now I am wondering if I should just leave this as a mini scraps quilt and keep my other all scrappy patchwork? I am quilting as you go, so it's already quilted. I would just have to figure out how to finish off the back if I were to leave this a mini? And, I am seriously in love with improv quilting now, so this certainly won't be the last time I make something like this. What do you think? What would you do?

I wish I had better pictures to share today, but it's a dark and rainy day here, so these are all I have. I look forward to hearing your thoughts! I really appreciate all the comments on my scrappy progress post from yesterday! You guys are the best!!

p.s. I have a giveaway (here's a peek) starting tomorrow, along with a few others throughout the next couple of weeks in celebration of my two year blog-iversay on January 30th!!! Be sure to stop by for a chance at some gorgeous bundles of fabric!!

No way! That is by far one of the coolest things I've seen since discovering the online quilting world! I don't know what to suggest as far as keeping it a mini or putting it into a bigger quilt, either would be perfectly awesome. You could even mount it in a frame and it would look pretty sharp hanging on your wall! Consider me in awe (and inspired!)!

oh maureen i love it so much. i saw it on flickr yesterday and almost died! it is the cutest idea ever. i love the idea of her small block turning into a big quilt so if it were me i would keep going... ;) very cute idea! i am so glad you had such a fun time with it too. your sewing space seems really cozy. p.s. what kind of tea are you drinking? i have a really yummy sweet and spicy tea that i love. but i am always looking for more flavors to try.

Not much time to spend going thru google reader today so I almost rushed by your post - but your scrappy girl block made me stop dead in my tracks! She's fabulous and it's a fabulous idea! I, too, vote for her being in the corner of the full quilt! You go, girl!!!

Oh Maureen, it's brilliant! The girl has such character and liveliness and the little scrappy quilt leading into the other just looks amazing. You've inspired me to take my drawings off the board and try and work them out. As for what you should do, I'd just keep it out a few days until the idea hits you. Sometimes I just have to work that way.

I was just about to write "I'm in awe" when I read the comment above. I'm not surprised - your work really is marvellous. It's so charming - what about a book with patchwork illustrations?! Find an agent!

That is just amazing Maureen! I kind of like the idea of this on the corner of your quilt, but I would really choose to make this just a mini. It's a piece of art for sure! If it's already quilted, just add a back and bind. WOW!!

What a beautiful piece - I love it! It's very inspirational. I vote to keep her as the lower corner in the larger quilt. The idea of her little corner turning into the whole quilt is just too perfect. Congratulations on such a great piece!

That is so cool! Is is paper peiced? Or appliqued? Do you not have to paper peice if you quilt as you go? Anyway, I think you should do as you originally intended with this one - make it part of a larger quilt! THe great feeling you have with it coming together so nicely will only increase as you put into into the big picture of what you had in your mind.

let's see..what would I do....other than completely copy your idea of this brilliant block? seriously, the best thing i have seen in a long time!!! amazing! i dont think you need any advice, you have found your groove! just keep moving!

Oh my gosh! This is the sort of thing that shows up in my google reader and literally makes me say OH MY GOSH! Literally. I feel like I NEED to make something like this right now (such a silly time to have to go to work right?). This is so cool and I love your idea of adding it to your scrap quilt so that she's holding the corner of the quilt. Ridiculously awesome. Who knew. Amazing. I'm pinning this to give it a try soon!

Ummm, this is pretty much the most amazing piece of quilting I've seen in a long time! WOW! I absolutely love that she is holding a quilt. I think it would look wonderful as part of a bigger quilt or a mini. Thanks for sharing...really, really fantastic!

She's wonderful, what an inspirational idea to have her handling the quilt blocks ahead of her like that! Now you could sell that foundation 'lassie' block pattern and we could each applique her face and hair, to suit ourselves!Please!

Hi Maureen! Your scrappy quilt is going to be amazing! I love all the busy clourful patchworks! This new lady of yours ... hmmmm ... she is so gorgeus that I can't find right words! Your idea to have her to hold the quilt is really good but I see her also as a painting on your wall! She would be so special and unique in frames! You are so talented and I'm happy to hear how you get ideas and you have to try them at once! Often I 'see' also and idea - sometimes it becomes as I saw it and sometimes not - still always I enjoy to create something! x Teje

Darn it woman! That is the most awesome piece of sewing!! If I could lay my mitts on it, it would go straight into a frame and up on a focus wall. How about getting that picture put onto some cards? Keep on having fun :)

this is amazing. i would keep it as a mini, just because it deserves its own focus. your talent at improv is mind blowing. really. her holding the scraps is a stroke of genius! i am gushing. but i can't help it!

That's freakin' awesome! I wish I knew how to do that. Was it paper pieced or something? I love love love it. I've never heard of improv quilting before, but then again, I'm a newbie wannabe who's trying to learn, so the things I DON'T know isn't surprising! :) Anyway, really great work and thanks for sharing it with us.

This is gorgeous!!!! And super impressive! I love the idea of having her corner of the quilt turn into the rest of your scrappy quilt, but can see wanting to frame her too. Whatever you end up doing with her, she's going to make you smile whenever you see her. Would love more details on how you made her...

Wow! That is amazingly beautiful! Oh, pretty please, do a tutorial! I would love to learn how you did this. My vote is for the mini - that way you could put it up on a wall or prop it up on a desk and look at it throughout the day and remember how amazingly creative you are! Just in case you ever forgot...

I am absolutely speechless. Just ditto all the above comments for me. I would love to see it as the basis for a large quilt but wonder if it wouldn't be more eye catching as a mini. I think I would be afraid her awsomeness would get lost in a a large quilt. Absolutely love her. Hope

You are so artistic! I really want a quilt like this one! I think it would show up better as a small quilt--easier to see the new square, but what a surprise it would be in a larger one! That was no help at all, was it? LOL

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I love either idea! I like the idea of her holding the whole scrappy quilt but don't like the idea of her getting lost in a big quilt. I don't think think I can stress that enough. She is simply too amazing to get lost in the bottom corner of a quilt. Seriously amazing!!! Don't let her get lost.

OMG, I'm so glad I visited your blog and saw this! I saw the completed piece on Flickr and thought the girl was an appliqued fussy cut from a piece of printed fabric. Geez, was that ever wrong. Seeing your sketch and the steps of the sewing was incredible.

Since I haven't learned to improv piece or even paper piece, I have no idea how you managed to sew this, but it's brilliant!

Hi Maureen, I stumbled across your blog today and your little quilt is adorable. Turning your drawing into a pp project can be very complicated and you have a winner. I think you should finish your small piece and have it framed in a shadowbox frame like art for your wall. Be proud and hang it out where everyone can see it. Then make your next one into a quilt because I'm sure there will be more.

A stay at home mom who loves to make things, living with her husband, three children, kitty - Lily, and new puppy - Penelope in small town Pennsylvania.I have a passion for sewing, quilting, fabric, knitting, felting, and drawing. Having you visit me here is wonderful, receiving a comment is even better - so please do both often!

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This Week's Quote : :

"To Live A Creative Life, We Must Lose Our Fear of Being Wrong."- Joseph Chilton Pearce